Matching performance of dielectric covered finite microstrip phased array antennas

The design of microstrip radiators is often complicated by the inability to predict the effects of dielectric covers required to protect the microstrip patches from environmental conditions or to match the array for wide-angle scanning. The effects of a dielectric cover on the wide-angle scan matching performance of a finite phased array of rectangular microstrip patches are examined. The approach used is to generate a spectral domain moment method formulation of a dielectric-covered finite phased array composed of rectangular microstrip patches, solve for the patch currents, and calculate the reflection coefficients. Graphs are included of reflection coefficient magnitudes versus E- and H-plane scan angle for a 7*7 patch array with a low dielectric constant substrate for various superstrate heights.<>